They DO NOT need to hold a copy of your passport if you are opted out.

[PrinceNamor]

FFS grow up. You find all your own work then, do you? He may be a leech, but you are an amateur who doesn't understand your own business.

An amateur? Ouch, that hurts. I'm going to cry.

[malvolio]

An amateur? Ouch, that hurts. I'm going to cry.

Result !!

[The Agents View]

Just remember TAV that your income is reliant upon us contractors. You are a parasite, a pimp, a leech.

That's right. That's why I find the contracts, approach you about them, and you come along and take up to 90% of my daily rate for them is it?

Anyone with any kind of sales or professional knowledge, knows not to close doors like this. It's fairly clear that you've not been around this contracting world very long - I suggest you lose that attitude, else you'll find yourself with splinters in your ar5e, very quickly....

[PrinceNamor]

That's right. That's why I find the contracts, approach you about them, and you come along and take up to 90% of my daily rate for them is it?

Anyone with any kind of sales or professional knowledge, knows not to close doors like this. It's fairly clear that you've not been around this contracting world very long - I suggest you lose that attitude, else you'll find yourself with splinters in your ar5e, very quickly....

You are sooooo busy finding contracts that you can spend most of your time on here posting ??

You are very wrong on the fact that I haven't been around this game for long - I have - which explains my hatred of agents. As for my attitude, I'll keep it - I take it as a compliment when an agent doesn't like my attitude.

I know it's childish but I can't resist - you sir are a cock_juggling_thunder_****.

[The Agents View]

You are sooooo busy finding contracts that you can spend most of your time on here posting ??

You are very wrong on the fact that I haven't been around this game for long - I have - which explains my hatred of agents. As for my attitude, I'll keep it - I take it as a compliment when an agent doesn't like my attitude.

I know it's childish but I can't resist - you sir are a cock_juggling_thunder_****.

I don't need to SEARCH....My clients tend to come to me. I currently have 11 roles on.

As for "spending most of my time here" - We call it multi tasking.

[Wanderer]

For a million and one times the problem is NOT providing a proof. The issue is being a contractor, we typically work for many clients during a short span of time. I am not comfortable leaving a copy of my passport at all the agencies I deal with. What I am comfortable is to have a central repository, say "My Ltd Company Reg Address", and I can provide a signed letter on my company letterhead that a copy of all the documents to prove that candidates provided by my ltd company have a legal right to stay and work in the UK, is stored at a location. If the agency insists on seeing the document, I can show the passport for their confirmation. The agency can still save the letter from my ltd company on my file, and can claim that they do the necessary check.

I'm sure you have a lovely company letter head and you are a very honest person but with due respect:

• Writing a letter on company letterhead doesn't mean tulip.
  
• Simply showing your passport to someone at the agency doesn't mean tulip (as already pointed out, it could be a fake and how would they know?)
  
• What if the person you showed it to leaves the agency? How do the agency ever prove that they saw it?
  
• What if the worker slips the agency checker £50 with a wink and a nudge and says "I am a very honest man. How about I give you a piece of paper with a portrait of the queen on it instead of showing my passport?"
  
• What if they apply the rules inconsistently and someone brings a civil case for racial discrimination?
  
• What if (rightly or wrongly) the client insists that the agency do these checks as part of the agent's service?

So many problems, one real simple solution:The worker presents their passport (or other credentials as dictated by Border Agency) and the agency keeps a copy. Simples. There are plenty of battles worth fighting with the agencies. I choose my battles carefully and I don't think this is one to fight.

The UKBA insists that employer takes a copy of the document. This is necessary when you are employing someone full time/permenantly. And again this is done by the HR of the company, who are aware of all the regulations and laws pertaining data protection.

Are you trying to suggest that agencies are unaware of their obligations under the Data Protection Act? If they are not then they will get themselves into some serious trouble.

[PrinceNamor]

I'm sure you have a lovely company letter head and you are a very honest person but with due respect:

• Writing a letter on company letterhead doesn't mean tulip.
  
• Simply showing your passport to someone at the agency doesn't mean tulip (as already pointed out, it could be a fake and how would they know?)
  
• What if the person you showed it to leaves the agency? How do the agency ever prove that they saw it?
  
• What if the worker slips the agency checker £50 with a wink and a nudge and says "I am a very honest man. How about I give you a piece of paper with a portrait of the queen on it instead of showing my passport?"
  
• What if they apply the rules inconsistently and someone brings a civil case for racial discrimination?
  
• What if (rightly or wrongly) the client insists that the agency do these checks as part of the agent's service?

So many problems, one real simple solution:The worker presents their passport (or other credentials as dictated by Border Agency) and the agency keeps a copy. Simples. There are plenty of battles worth fighting with the agencies. I choose my battles carefully and I don't think this is one to fight.



Are you trying to suggest that agencies are unaware of their obligations under the Data Protection Act? If they are not then they will get themselves into some serious trouble.

But the agency are not the employer, my limited company is. I have a b2b relationship with the agency not a emplore/employee relationship. Seems to me that agencies want it both ways, - to get you to opt out of regs and then treat you like an employer by asking for a copy of your passport. Let's be crystal clear - if you have opted out there is no legal reason why you should have to allow an agency to photo copy your passport.

[The Agents View]

But the agency are not the employer, my limited company is. I have a b2b relationship with the agency not a emplore/employee relationship. Seems to me that agencies want it both ways, - to get you to opt out of regs and then treat you like an employer by asking for a copy of your passport. Let's be crystal clear - if you have opted out there is no legal reason why you should have to allow an agency to photo copy your passport.

Post of the day.
You're going straight on my ignore list.
If you really think, that an agency wants it "both ways" then you are more deluded than your posts so far suggest. Do you REALLY think we WANT to deal with this boring, time consuming paperwork?

Or do you think what we want to do, is move on to the next opportunity? We are FORCED to do it, because there are no "real" contractors left really - just permies, with temporary contracts.

[SorenLorensen]

We are FORCED to do it, because there are no "real" contractors left really - just permies, with temporary contracts.

Interesting. Would like to hear the reasoning behind this statement.

[NotAllThere]

I love the spread of ignorance and stupidity. The agency's don't legally need to check, but they have to because the clients insist on it. The clients insist on it because they can't tell the difference between a contractor and an employee. So the agencies start using it as a selling point - "we check the identity and right to work of all our contractors". Of course, the only check that would actually provide any protection is a check of the original document, not a copy. So usually the exercise is entirely pointless. But it's so embedded in the industry now that I doubt it'll ever change. Probably costs a few million... but that'll come off the contractor rates, so that's ok.

Could make a reasonable plan B, offering identity checks for dumb agents and clients.